Fast Eddies, Thursday Evening

[spin_kick_snap]

There were bright lights and loud music blaring as soon as the doors opened--signs of a great arcade. Or, well, so the movies said; Fast Eddie's was the first and only arcade Kathy had ever been to. Kathy couldn't help bouncing on her toes a little as she entered. Pool tables and the DDR machines and banks of video games beckoned with bright colors and flashing lights. She spotted Space Invaders right away in a place of honor amongst many newer games, practically an antique these days but still functional and playable.

Crossing over to the change machine, Kathy changed a $20 bill into $20 in quarters and debated what to play first.

[Kathy's here with Travis, but it's an open arcade]

Comments

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

Travis came in a few minutes later, hands tucked into his pockets. He glanced around the arcade, looking for Kathy and spotted her changing out money.

He wandered over and said, "Already losing money, huh?"

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy looked over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at him. "I just didn't have a bunch of quarters lying around," she said. "I guess it just means that we're gonna have to stay until they're all gone, right?"

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"Depends on how good you are," Travis said, pulling his own wallet out of his pocket. "If you go through that much in an hour, then we might have to figure something else out."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I'm hoping the food place doesn't mind getting paid in tons of quarters, too," Kathy admitted, nodding to the abbreviated kitchen that seemed to offer various forms of fried food and soda. "They're probably used to it, right?"

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"Sure they've been paid in worse than that," Travis told her, nodding. "Wouldn't be surprised if they got random foreign currency every once in awhile."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Even space-currency, most like," Kathy said, eyes shining. "That's gotta be pretty cool. Even if you could only spend it on the island, cause nowhere else would believe you."

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"Other places take space currency?" he wondered curiously. "I really don't get out enough."

[spin_kick_snap]

"I think so?" Kathy said. "I can't be sure, I don't have a normal job, either. But I know the bank can exchange all kinds of currencies, so I assume so?"

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"Wow." Travis blinked and stepped forward, feeding some cash into the change machine. "I really don't get out enough."

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"What do you do?" Kathy asked. "I mean, you go skateboarding a lot, right? What else do you do most of the time? Study and homework?"

It's what Kathy did, after all.

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"Use my computer, text my friends," he said, grabbing his quarters and dumping them into his pockets. "Order pizza."

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"Still sounds more fun than studying for the SATs," Kathy said. "I text my sister sometimes, but most of my friends are on the island. I never had a lot of friends back home. But you do?" She cocked her head to the side. "You know, I don't think I ever asked. What brought you here to Fandom? Instead of graduating with all your friends and stuff?"

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"Needed some space," he explained, shrugging. "Things got a little suffocating there. People change and I didn't really handle it well."

A vague way to explain things, sure.

"I've got a few friends back home. Not a lot but a few."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Still I bet more than I do," Kathy said, offering him an understanding smile. "I actually made more out there in the past year than I did the fifteen when I lived there, you know?"

She made her way over to the Space Invaders machine and leaned against it. "I'm sorry people went and changed on you."

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"Not really their fault," he said, patting the Space Invaders machine. "Or mine. Change happens. Isn't what all the wise philosophers say?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Most wise philosophers wouldn't agree on the time standing in front of an astronomical clock," Kathy sniffed. She was tempted to ask if that change had anything to do with his scars, but she didn't want to push and pry into a potentially touchy subject. "You better now, though?"

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"Right as rain," he said. It was a lie but he figured once he got that ring from the shop in town, things would be better. Much better. "Ready to beat you in Space Invaders and that other game you talked about."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy laughed and turned towards the arcade console. "It's so cute that you think that. I'm almost sorry for the blow to your ego."

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"High score back home," he reminded her. "You're talking to a professional."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Pfft, in Space Invaders, maybe, but that game practically came out when our grandparents were young. Don't even step to me at DDR." Kathy's cheeks hurt from grinning so much. "I'll blow past you on Expert mode while you're still figuring out what arrows to rest your feet on."

Talking shit was not a regular occurrence for Kathy, but you know what? It was kinda fun.

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"I'll look forward to when you're eating crow and apologizing for being so mean to me," Travis retorted. "I'll make you buy me a cheap snack bar drink as penance."

[spin_kick_snap]

"And when you finally concede defeat, I'll let you buy me something to drink so I can stay hydrated while I triple-A Paranoia Dreams," Kathy countered with a wink. She nodded to the machine. "Let's see what you got, Travis."

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"I didn't even understand half of what you just said," he just said, shaking his head and stepping up to the machine. "Triple A Paranoia Dreams?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Your score in DDR comes in letter grades," Kathy explained, eyes fixed on the screen. "Once you get to A, you can get a double-A or even triple-A your score if you do really well. And Paranoia Dreams is one of the hardest songs of the game. Truth be told," she said, leaning in like she was telling him a secret, "I'm not even sure I can triple-A it. It's hard and I don't practice as much as I used to."

[theheadkid.livejournal.com]

"So, you're admitting weakness to the guy you're about to play against?" he asked, reaching to push a few quarters into the machine. "Brave."